A Chance to Start Over
by TurtleMoose19
Summary: So...I felt the need to write this. I don't know why, but I had to. Shortly after Simon's death, Jack sneaks away and looks back at his memories. His girlfriend once said something that is more importnant now than it ever could be.


**Meant to write this last night, but my computer decided it wanted to f*ck with my mind. So I'm writing it today. Hazzah!**

**Disclaimer: I own Lord of the Flies**

**Simon: No, no you don't…**

**Me: Shouldn't you be the small quiet one in the back?**

**Simon: I guess. But when I ****SPOILER**** die I become suddenly significant. Like any famous artist or musician. Cool, right?**

**Me: *sigh* I guess.**

**Note!Of!Some!Importance: This is Jack on the island somewhere between when they killed Simon and when they killed Piggy. This scene just came to me in class the other day and I'm like BOOM! Fan fiction fo sho! Not sure how I feel about this, it might be a little off, considering it's about 12:30 at night right now. But I had to write it anyway. Jack's thinking back on the old days and YES OF COURSE JACK HAS A GF CUZ HE'S **_**JACK MERRIDEW**_**, GODDAMMIT! IT. JUST. **_**IS!**_

_**WARNING! OBSCENE AMOUNTS OF MORALS AND FLUFF! PROCEDE WITH CAUTION!**_

_Everyone gets a chance to start over. Sometimes you don't even know you have the chance. You just follow the road your heart tells you, and you take it, and know you have this whole new life, and you see what you can do with it._

That was what she said the last time he saw her. Thinking about it, Jack Merridew almost cried.

He was sitting on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. The sun was setting and the sky was filled with dim warm colors. The ocean was dark and welcoming only to someone like Jack. He could still hear the chants of the once innocent kids. They hadn't even realized what they'd done.

But Jack knew. Jack had retreated as soon as he figured it out. Not even Ralph and Piggy knew it yet. Only Jack and the newly dead body of one true friend. But it had no one to tell; Simon's body had washed out to sea.

Jack missed home. He missed being out of trouble. He missed rules and order. He missed his school and his house and his family and all of his friends.

And his girlfriend; he could've loved her if he knew what love was.

* * *

He would never forget the last time he saw her. They were at a friend's party all night, after hearing about the evacuation previously that day, when she got tired and dragged him out into the grassy backyard. He laid on his back, glancing up at the stars, with her curled up against his side, an arm around her waist. Finally, he spoke.

"I'll come back for you. The first flight here, I'll be back," Jack promised.

"Do what you're told. Stay out of trouble," she spoke wisely but soft.

"I can't just leave you!" He sat up, "They can't expect me to just fly away from my entire life for a stupid war! That's…"

"Cheating? It doesn't matter, rules are rules."

"Rules are dumb-ass!"

She giggled at this, and he relaxed and lay back down on the grass. A cool wind whipped their ankles, and Jack pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"Jack, you'll be happy where ever you are. You'll make a new life," she told him.

"How can I just drop everything and start over, though? And be happy?"

"Jack," she told him, "everyone does. Everyone gets a chance to start over. Sometimes you don't even know you have the chance. You just follow the road your heart tells you, and you take it, and know you have this whole new life, and you see what you can do with it. I had that chance, when I moved here in the first place from Scotland. I made a new life and I have school and all my friends and," she closed her eyes, "and I have you, Jack." She kissed him quickly and looked deep into his eyes.

Jack was shocked from what she just said. He just looked deep in her denim eyes and pulled her close, stroking her long wavy-black hair. Finally he spoke up in a dark smooth voice.

"Maybe. But I won't leave you forever. I'll be back. As soon as I can, I'll be back. I promise."

He didn't know that he would never forgive himself for breaking that promise.

* * *

The sun was almost down and there was barely any light. The chanting and the voices had died down. Jack thought of Simon. Had he gotten his chance to start over? Or did he die before his turn? It was hardly Jack's fault. He didn't charge, he only stabbed after the others did. It wouldn't matter if he hadn't, Simon would still be dead. So in theory, it wasn't Jack's fault.

Nothing would convince him of that, though.

But what about Jack? Would Jack ever get to start over? He didn't want this whole island thing to be his starting over. He wanted it to be what he was starting over from. He wanted to get back home and find his friends and his parents and his girlfriend and start a good life, the kind he should have. He wasn't even sure if he deserved that anymore.

He wasn't sure, but some part of him told him that he had his chance. The part that echoed through him only when he was alone by the setting sun.

_Everyone gets a chance to start over. Sometimes you don't even know you have the chance. You just follow the road your heart tells you, and you take it, and know you have this whole new life, and you see what you can do with it._


End file.
